Le Théâtre du Monde, ou Nouvel atlas contenant les chartes et descriptions de tous les païs de la terre [Northern Europe and Germania & The Low Countries].

Large folio: [9]-28-78-[2]-48 ff.; 120 maps, delicately contemp. gilt and hand-coloured (maps of the part Germania sl. toned, some light damp stains).

Contemp. ivory vellum, gilt-decorated covers and spine (upper joint sl. splitting, a bit soiled and some tr. of use).

1st vol. only, complete, of the 3rd French edition of Blaeu's three-volume "Theatrum Orbis Terrarum" (1640-43). Incl. 2 parts with 84 maps of Northern Europe and Germany and 36 maps of the Low Countries. The update (3 vol.) of the 1638 ed. (only 2 vol.) was achieved by inserting maps from the appendix, scraping away the original signatures and page numbers, and adding new ones in pen and ink. In this 3rd ed., these were usually replaced by printed signatures and page numbers, however, this copy still has several hand-numbered maps in the 1st part (Northern Europe: C, H, I, K, M, N, O, Q, S; Germania: L, 2L, O, 2P, 2Q, 4B). With 2 large folding maps of the Rhine and the Danube.
Ref. Van der Krogt II [2:213.1HM and 213.1H].